Podcasts about when you come together

Talk 6  A Summary, a Reminder, some Suggestions, and a Final Word of Encouragement Hello again and welcome to my final talk in our series where we've been looking at New Testament Guidelines for Small Group Meetings. My purpose in this series, which has been largely based on my book When You Come Together, has been to show that we should take seriously Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:26, and to encourage more Spirit-led participation in our meetings. The things that Paul wrote are after all, the commandments of the Lord (14:37). Let's begin with: A quick summary of what we've said so far To put 1 Corinthians 14:26 in context, we began by briefly examining chapters 12-14 and saw that there's a supernatural dimension to the worship of the church which is expressed in the manifestation of supernatural gifts given by the Holy Spirit (12:1-11). We saw that the church is the body of Christ, that every member of the body is different, and that everybody is needed (12:12-30). This lies behind Paul's teaching in 14:26 that everyone should have opportunity to contribute to the meeting. But for that to work properly, everything we do must be motivated by love (13:1-13) and as an expression of that love, we must always seek to put other people first (14:1-25). This is directly relevant to how 14:26 should be applied in practice. This includes taking responsibility for our actions (14:26-40) and using the spiritual gifts God has given us correctly. We went on to examine Paul's teaching on tongues, interpretation, and prophecy in chapter 14, and sought to clarify the meaning of verses that are open to differences of interpretation. I suggested how these verses might be applied in practice, acknowledging that in everything we must submit to the authority of scripture (14:37). And in our last talk we identified three key principles on which 1 Corinthians 14:26 is based. These are participation, variety, and edification. Most important of these is edification, building other people up spiritually. We said that this involves: a)     Putting other people first b)     Making sure that people can understand what's being said c)      Taking responsibility for what we do and say d)     Preserving order in our meetings e)     Ensuring there's a healthy balance in our activities (i.e. not too much of the same thing). Finally, we have also admitted that certain verses in 1 Corinthians 14 are open to more than one interpretation. So let me now remind you of my answers to some of these controversial questions.   A reminder of my answers to some controversial questions a)     About speaking in tongues when unbelievers are present As I understand 1 Corinthians 14, Paul does expect speaking in tongues to be a frequent part of our meetings, but he forbids speaking out loudly if there is no interpreter present. He also discourages this if there are unbelievers present. But we may speak quietly to ourselves and to God. However, speaking in tongues does not always put people off, particularly if they can understand it. So, in my view, we should probably discourage speaking out loud in tongues in the presence of unbelievers, but if it does happen, someone should interpret it and whoever is leading the meeting should explain what has just happened. b)     About the gift of interpretation of tongues Here's how I answered the following questions:                                 i.            Should this sound like praise or prophecy? My answer was that, although it can take the form of a prophecy (often referred to as a 'message'), it can also be the interpretation of someone's praise or prayer in tongues.                               ii.            What does Someone must interpret mean (NIV v. 27)? A better translation is, Let one person interpret. I suggested that Paul probably meant that only one person should interpret each utterance in tongues.                             iii.            Should a fourth utterance in tongues be interpreted? My answer was yes, on the basis that it would be more edifying to the church than if it were not interpreted. However, this is unlikely to happen if church leaders teach clearly on how spiritual gifts should be operated. c)      About the gift of prophecy The two main questions we answered here were about judging a prophecy.           i.                    Who should judge it? I answered that church leaders like pastors, because of their role as shepherds of the flock, have a special responsibility here, but that we all need to do so. ii.                  How do you judge it? I emphasised that, although God's gifts are perfect, we are not!. God's gifts come through imperfect human channels, and that's why prophetic words need to be weighed carefully. To do so we should first ask ourselves if the prophecy is in line with Scripture. If it is, we should then ask ourselves questions like, Is this for me, or is it perhaps for someone else? Etc. But that brings me to: Some suggestions for church leaders I deal with this in the final chapter of WYCT which is written particularly for church leaders. So it's not highly relevant in this series of talks to home groups. However, it could be useful for those of you who may be emerging church leaders, so I'll just mention the key points I make in that chapter and suggest that you might read it for yourselves. The points I make are about: ·      Being fully persuaded in your own mind what the Bible teaches about this ·      Praying for guidance ·      Consulting your fellow leaders and making sure that you're all of one mind ·      Teaching the people ·      Setting an example in the use of the gifts ·      Making space in the church programme ·      Creating a loving atmosphere where the gifts can flourish. If you'd like to know more, read WYCT Chapter 9 for yourself. But now: A final word of encouragement to you all Now that we've come to the end of this series, I want to encourage you all to put Paul's teaching into practice. He clearly wants everyone of us to participate in our meetings. As I've already said, leaders need to make time for this and encourage everyone to take part. And if you're one of those people who rarely if ever say anything, that's fine, but I want to encourage you to get started, even if it's something as simple as quoting or reading a favourite Bible verse. And if you're one of those who already has a lot to say, please consider holding back a bit to make time for others.   But this series has not just been about participation. It's been about variety. And that includes not only having a hymn or a word of instruction. It also involves supernatural gifts like tongues, interpretation, and prophecy. So I want to finish by sharing with you how to get started in this important area.   As many of you will know, I have recently preached on this in our church, and a video is available on YouTube. You can find the link by visiting our website www.brixhamcc.co.uk. Alternatively, you could listen to two podcasts I gave on the same subject in February 2019 by going to my website www.davidpetts.org. I mention this now because there's not time to cover the subject fully in this series of short talks, and what I'm about to say is just a quick summary of the main points. A.  We should desire them eagerly Paul uses the same word three times in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 (12:31, 14:1, 12). This is the most important thing. If you're not thirsty, you won't drink! To whet your appetite, maybe consider reading more about them.     B.  We shouldn't make excuses 1. I'm not worthy Paul refers to the gifts as charismata (12:4). This comes from charis 'grace'. We don't receive them because we deserve them. We receive them because of God's grace. Don't hold back from seeking spiritual gifts because you feel unworthy. 2.  I'm not suitable Paul also uses the word pneumatika (12:1), which in the context means supernatural. So these particular gifts have nothing to do with our natural ability. We shouldn't make excuses like I'm not talented enough – old enough – clever enough etc. Our lack of ability doesn't limit God. 3.  They're beyond my reach Another word he uses is phanerosis (12:7) which means an outward evidencing of a latent principle.    The light that shines from a lightbulb is the evidence of electricity that's at work in it. Supernatural gifts are the outward evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us. They are not beyond your reach. They don't come from God in outer space. They come from   the Holy Spirit who is in you.   C. We must keep filled with the Spirit My little book, A New Dimension, explains what this means. The disciples were first filled with the Spirit when they were baptised in the Spirit at Pentecost. They then began to speak in tongues. Once we have been baptised in the Spirit, we need to fan this gift into flame (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Speaking in tongues regularly will build us up spiritually (14:4) and help us maintain the fulness of the Spirit.   D. We must pray for the gifts The Holy Spirit determines which of the gifts he will give us, but that doesn't mean that we may not pray for them (see 1 Corinthians 14:13). But how do I know what to pray for? Don't wait until you know which gift or gifts God wants you to have. Pray for what you would like. If the gift you're praying for is not for you, the Lord will guide you to what he desires. The important thing is to pray and to pray persistently.   E.  We must act in faith Mark 16:17,18 and Romans 12:6 reveal that spiritual gifts are operated by faith. And James 2:17 makes it clear that, if we really have faith, we will act. In the longer version of this talk I illustrate this by describing how I received the gift of interpretation of tongues.   So, that's it from me. Today I've not suggested any questions for discussion. Why not spend the time in prayer together for spiritual gifts? If you earnestly seek, you will receive.

NT GUIDELINES FOR SMALL GROUP MEETINGS – INTRODUCTION   Welcome back to Great Bible Truths with Dr David Petts. If you've been a regular listener to my podcasts, you may have been wondering what's been happening since January, when I finished my series where I was reflecting on God's goodness to me throughout my life.   Well, for first few months of the year I was working on turning the contents of those podcasts into a new book and preparing it for publication. The good news is that it's now available from my website and I've given it the title:   All the Days of My Life – a Story of God's Unfailing Love.   I'm already receiving many encouraging reports from those who have read it, and if you'd like a copy, full details are on my website.   Since then, I've been working on six podcasts for use in our church home-groups and have now decided to make them more widely available as a new series. You may remember a series I did in 2023 under the heading When You Come Together. I later turned that into a book with the same title. The podcasts I have now produced are based on some of the teaching in that book, which is itself based on Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 14 – especially verse 26.   This new series of talks is specially designed for use in small groups such as home groups. It contains six talks of less than 20 minutes each. We look particularly at 1 Corinthians 14 to see what God had to say about how Christians back then should 'do church', and seeing how this might affect what we do today, particularly in small groups.   As usual, the full text of each talk will appear on my website along with the recording. This should be helpful particularly to group leaders, who would also benefit from my book When you Come Together – God's Plans for when His People Meet  (WYCT), which could be useful background reading, as also could Body Builders – gifts to make God's people grow (on the subject of spiritual gifts).   The first talk in the series will be posted at the same time as this, and the rest will follow shortly. To help you prepare for that, I'm making a few suggestions. But first let me say that it's not my intention that the notes and podcasts should be slavishly followed. They're just there to help you and your group to discuss and pray about what God's word might be saying about what should be happening in your meetings.   Things to do ahead of the group meeting – seven suggestions   1.     Make space in your diary to prepare for the meeting. 2.     Read the relevant scripture passages. See the list below.   3.     Listen to the podcast and study the notes. 4.     Encourage group members to listen ahead of time too. 5.     Plan the format of your meeting and ensure that the podcast is played towards the beginning of the meeting to leave time for discussion and prayer afterwards. 6.     Think about the discussion questions I have included at the end of the talk. (N.B. You'll find these in the notes. They're NOT in the recording). Consider if you will have time to discuss all of them. If not, which are the most relevant to your group? 7.     Pray for the leading of the Spirit when the group gathers.   Finally, here's a list of relevant background reading for each talk. You might like to keep a copy of this for future reference. Obviously, the Bible passages are the most important. For your guidance, WYCT contains a bit more than the notes, and Body Builders even more. But how much background reading you do is up to you. RELEVANT EXTRA READING   1 CORINTHIANS                  WYCT             BODY BUILDERS   Talk 1             12-13                                     Chs. 1, 3, 4 Talk 2             14                                           Ch. 5               Pages 131-140         Talk 3             14                                           Ch. 6               Pages 141-151 Talk 4             14                                           Ch. 7               Chapters 3 and 9 Talk 5            12-14                                      Ch. 8               Talk 6             14                                           Ch. 9                 God bless you and grant you much blessing in your group meetings.

In this insightful message from our “Encounter” series, Pastor Kelly Kinder explores the dynamics between order and edification in worship with his sermon titled “When You Come Together.” Drawing from 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, Kelly invites us to consider how our church gatherings can become more harmonious and meaningful when guided by the Holy Spirit.Kelly reflects on how diverse perspectives shape our spiritual experiences and emphasizes the importance of unity in faith and purpose. He discusses the transformative role of spiritual gifts in building up the church, highlighting that these gifts are given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. By using our gifts with love and understanding, we foster spiritual maturity and strengthen the body of Christ.Delving into Paul's teachings, Kelly addresses the proper use of tongues and prophecy in worship. He explains that speaking in tongues should be done orderly and only when an interpreter is present, ensuring that the congregation can be edified. Prophecy should also be shared thoughtfully, with others evaluating the message to maintain clarity and truth.Kelly doesn't shy away from tackling challenging passages, such as Paul's instructions regarding women in worship. He clarifies that the call for women to “be silent” was context-specific, aimed at maintaining order during services, rather than a blanket prohibition on women's participation. The goal is to prevent confusion and allow everyone to hear what the Spirit is saying.Throughout his message, Kelly emphasizes worshiping God in spirit and truth. He reflects on how a clear and thoughtful presentation of God's word can lead to spiritual awakenings, even among unbelievers. By aligning our worship practices with God's commands, we create an environment where attendees can encounter the risen Christ and experience transformative power.Kelly encourages us to embrace the spiritual realm with open hearts, serving others through our spiritual gifts. He reminds us that when each part of the body is working properly, it leads to growth and unity within the church. By approaching our gatherings with love and service, we witness how God is actively building His church.Join us as we continue the “Encounter” series, discovering how unity, love, and the Holy Spirit's guidance enhance our worship experience. Let's come together to encounter God in new and profound ways, fostering a harmonious and meaningful church life.We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.Subscribe to our Podcast & YouTube channel to find past sermons, classes, interviews, and more!Find us on Facebook & Instagram

When You Come Together 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 by Trinity Community Church

Paul warns against the selfishness the Corinthian church was exhibiting. Pastor Nate Harlan preaches. Listen above or download the audio file here. Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash The post When You Come Together — 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 first appeared on Trinity Reformed Church.

This is the final sermon from a series from the book of 1 Corinthians titled, "When You Come Together."

A message from Joseph continuing the series, "When You Come Together."

Joseph delivers part 2 in a series titled, "When You Come Together." The lessons from this series come from the book of 1 Corinthians.

This is the first sermon in a series titled "When You Come Together." This will be a study in the book of 1 Corinthians.

The post “When You Come Together as a Church” (1 Corinthians 11:17–22) appeared first on Harvest Community Church | Omaha, NE.

1 Corinthians 14:26-40 - When You Come Together

1 Corinthians 14:26-40 - When You Come Together

When You Come Together

1 Corinthians 14:26-40 - When You Come Together

The post When You Come Together appeared first on Liberty Church of Christ.

Reagan's Rayguns - "Tom Brokaw I (Million Years Old)" Reagan's Rayguns - "Tom Brokaw II (Sentimental Cough)" Nap Eyes - "No Fear of Hellfire" Bad People - "Swimming Lessons" Old Man Luedecke - "Sorry If I Let You Down" Les Paiens - "Cul-De-Chiac" Noise Level - "Lift Me (The Story's Been Told)" Sexy Mathematics - "Victory" Dynamo & Badnutbeats - "When You Come Together" Trevor Rogers - "A Child's Point Of View" The Olympic Symphonium - "Stranger" Hand-drawn - "No Windows" Wildcat - "Friendly Gesture" Walrus - "Glam Returns" Walrus - "It's No Myth To Me" The Balconies - "Good And Ugly" Elephant Skeletons - "Iron Lion"

Reagan's Rayguns - "Tom Brokaw I (Million Years Old)" Reagan's Rayguns - "Tom Brokaw II (Sentimental Cough)" Nap Eyes - "No Fear of Hellfire" Bad People - "Swimming Lessons" Old Man Luedecke - "Sorry If I Let You Down" Les Paiens - "Cul-De-Chiac" Noise Level - "Lift Me (The Story's Been Told)" Sexy Mathematics - "Victory" Dynamo & Badnutbeats - "When You Come Together" Trevor Rogers - "A Child's Point Of View" The Olympic Symphonium - "Stranger" Hand-drawn - "No Windows" Wildcat - "Friendly Gesture" Walrus - "Glam Returns" Walrus - "It's No Myth To Me" The Balconies - "Good And Ugly" Elephant Skeletons - "Iron Lion"